Authorities in Vietnam’s southern province of An Giang have called on foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide aids for 33 projects in the 2012-2016 period. Local authorities made the call at a recent meeting with representatives of 10 foreign NGOs and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) and unions of friendship organizations from Can Tho, Kien Giang and Dong Thap. The projects cover agriculture, rural development, education, healthcare, environment, disaster mitigation and social issues. At the event, the U.S.-based Pacific Links Foundation and An Giang authorities signed a VND973 million ($46,300) aid agreement for two projects on human trafficking prevention and scholarship granting in 2012-2013. In 2007-2011, up to 26 foreign NGOs from the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, France, Japan, Taiwan and Australia funded about $7.5 million for 200 projects in the province. Vietnam now has around 1,700 domestic and foreign NGOs operating in the country, including those from the U.S., U.K., Germany, Norway, Australia, Italy, Spain and Hong Kong. (baoangiang.com.vn July 4, Vietnamplus.vn July 3)
